us history ch 10.2
Post on 15-May-2015
3.260 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
U.S. History
Chapter 10: Launching the New Nation
Section 2: Hamilton & National Finances
Settling the Debt
•Paying the national debt was Hamilton’s largest challenge
Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton
Settling the Debt
•The debt:
–$11.7 million owed to foreign countries
–$40.4 million owed to citizens in the form of bonds
Settling the Debt
•Bonds—certificates that represent money owed to private citizens by the U.S. government
Settling the Debt
•Bonds sold to speculators
•Speculators—people who buy items at low prices in hope that the value will rise
Settling the Debt
Alexander Hamilton:
proposes repaying bonds at full value
Thomas Jefferson:
Believed idea cheated original bondholders
U.S. population: 303,716,510Amt per citizen: $30,150.00.
As of December 5, 2007
The States’ Debts
•Hamilton proposes federal government assume $21.5 million of debts from the states
•Believed it would help national economy
The States’ Debts
•Problem: southern states had few war debts
•Southerners disliked capital in New York
The States’ Debts
•The plan:
–Hamilton will convince Northerners to move capital
– Jefferson & Madison will convince southern states to accept Hamilton’s debt plan
The States’ Debts
• The result:
– Congress approved debt plan
– Area along the Potomac chosen as new capital
Hamilton vs. Jefferson
Alexander Hamilton:
Believed in a strong central government
Thomas Jefferson:
Believed in preserving states’ rights
Hamilton vs. Jefferson
•Hamilton desired to promote manufacturing & business
Hamilton vs. Jefferson
•Protective tariff—tax on imported goods to raise the prices of foreign goods in order to protect domestic products
Chevrolet Silverado Toyota Tundra
$20,000 $18,000
Chevrolet Silverado Toyota Tundra
$20,000$18,000
+ $4,000 tariff = $22,000
Hamilton vs. Jefferson
• Jefferson wanted to promote an agricultural society
• Believed low tariffs would benefit farmers
The Debate over the Bank
Alexander Hamilton:
Proposes a national bank for government to deposit its money
Thomas Jefferson:
Questioned the authority of the government to establish a national
bank
The Debate over the Bank
•Hamilton says bank allowed under the “necessary & proper clause”
“The Congress shall have Power…To make all Laws which shall be necessary
and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers
vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States…”
--United States Constitution Article I, Section 8
The Debate over the Bank
•Loose construction--the federal government can take any reasonable actions that the Constitution does not specifically prohibit
The Debate over the Bank
• Jefferson believed “necessary & proper” clause should be used only in special cases
The Debate over the Bank
•Strict construction—federal government can only do what the Constitution specifically says it can do
The Debate over the Bank
• February 1791: Congress chartered the Bank of the United States
Hamilton Jefferson
Bonds
Democracy
Economy
Tariffs
National Bank
Constitution
top related